Switch mechanism.



H. D. YOAKUM.

SWITCH MECH/1N ISM.'

APPLIoATIoN FILED JUNE 1 Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

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f NokRlS PETERS CO:l PHOTULITHO., WASHINGTON, D. C.

' risente.

l" STABS FAT FFIQF.

I-IUGH D. YOAKUIVI, OF WAGO, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO J. KNOX GREER, OF ALLEN, OKLAHOMA.

SWITCH MECHANISIVI.

.4 designed for use in street railway systems in which the switch is set by means of tripping devices carried by the car and under control of the motorman.

Primarily, my invention has for its purpose to provide a simple, inexpensive and easily operated mechanism of the general character stated, in vwhich the actuating devices are such that the switch, when shifted,

to either of its set positions is positively held to such position, tripping means being also c included of peculiar design adapted for bemechanism,

shown at their open or siding position.`

ing engaged by the actuating member on the car and controlled by the motorman.

Vithother objects in view that willhereinafter appear my invention consists of the peculiar construction and novel arrangement of parts, all of which will be hereinafter fully explained, specifically pointed out inthe appended claims and illustrated in the` accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my switch the switch members being Fig. 2 isa transverse section thereofon the line 2 2 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the pawl and ratchet mechanism for acv tuating the shaft that carries the cam devices that coperate with and control the shifting of the switch bar. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the parts shown in Fig. 3

and takenvsubstantially onl the line 4-4 onl Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail section of the bell crank or actuating lever that controls the .pawl and ratchet mechanism shown in Fig.

3. Fig. 6 is a vertical section, parts being in elevation of the adjustable tripper devices mounted on the car platform adapted for Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

Application filed June 1, 1914. Serial No. 842,106.

7 is a detail view of the double faced camk disk presently again referred to.

In carrying out my invention, I arrange the switch members 1 1 for. being positively shifted and held to thefshifted position whenever the actuating lever is engaged by the tripping devices, the latter in my construction of switch mechanism being arranged for being normallyshifted up and out of an operative condition so that the car can readily move along over the switch devices witliout disturbing them.

2-2 designate the main track rails and 3-3 the siding rails.

At a point under the switch rails 1 1 and extended transversely thereof, isa housing or space `in which is mounted a transversely disposed actuating shaft 4, hereinafter termed the switch controlling shaft, since it is the rotary movement thereofv that actuates the means that shifts the switch bar 5, presently again referred to. Shaft 4 is suitably mounted upon standards 6-6' and end bearings 7-7 and at each side of its central point it carries a coiled spring 8, the innerv ends of which engage the inner bearings ory standards 6, while the outer ends engage collars 9 on the shaft (see Figs. 2 and 3). The object of .the springs 8 is to provide for equalizing thetendency of end lthrustspon .the shaft 4, which turns loosely on its bearings during the operation of shifting the switch bar as will Vhereinafter more fully appear. Midway thereof the shaft 4 carries a cam disk 10 the opposite faces of which are each provided with a setof cams 11-11 and 12-f12, the said cams lle-lland 12-12 being disposed diametrically opposite each other and the'cams 11-11 at right angles to the set of cams 12, 12, to` provide, as it were, four radially disposed and equally spaced cams, alternately arranged so that during the rotation of the disk, a cam at one side operates to throw the switch bar in one CIK direction and on continued rotation of the said shaft, ,a cam on the other side will throw the said bar in the reverse direction.

As is best shown in Fig. 2, the switch bar 5 has a pair' of pendent brackets 50-50 that straddle the cam disk 10, and each of which carries a horizontal bearing roller 51-51 for engaging with the wedge-like cams 11-12 on the opposite faces of the disk 10, as shown.

At one end the shaft 4L has a ratchet disk 40 provided with four ratchets or teeth spacedin vharmonyrwith the camson the disk 10 and with the said ratchet disk `cooperates an oscillating pawl arm 15 'that carries two dogs or Imembers 1 6 -16 that engage' the ratchet disk das is bestshown in 4. Totheipfawl arm lispivotally conliiected a pull rod or ylever 17 that extends length wise the trackway Aand ypivotally joins v'with'the lower'end of a crankarm 18 fast on a rockshaft 19 mounted rtransversely 'l of the said trackway and'withwhich fixedly Yconnects tlheacttiatin'g lever 2O 'thatprojects Hup above the trackway in position to engage with t'rip'per` deyices on the car body, the sfaid leverA land the "arm 18 forming, as it were, V'a bell crank leverjfor the rock shaft 19. The pawl arm 15 is loosely hungfrom the fshaftlalnd it is swung back to its normal Vposition by ,a retracting spring 30 and to avoid arririg'the 'said arm, on its returned 'movemenaa'buffer spring 21, mounted on a rod 22 vattached tothe arm 15, is provided 'that operates in 'the manner clearly understood by reference'to the drawing.

reasonofthe peculiar construction and novel arran'gerne nt of the several parts hereiiibefore described 'and shown, assuming the s'witczh members to be in the position 'shown in Fig. 1 and a car to be moving along in A,the direction of the arrow, which isl to proceed along the .main line, thetripper devicesI on the car platform'are lowered the motorman "toengage the lever 2Ovk and in doingso it'pulls the rod y17 in thepdire'ction `'of the arrow (see Fig. 4) and turns the shaft l the direction indicated, and `causes the cam disk, which is now positioned as shown in 2, rto movethe switch bar to throw `the switch members over to connect the main line'rails, it being understood that the next time the lever 2O y is pressed against, the sameoperation ofthe parts occurs, except that apcain on the other side of the disk engages the switch throw bar and'moves it in the other direction toopen the main line.

yA Qny lsuitable tripping device befused the car. platform .forA engaging the act'uatlever 20, but l prefer to use kthe `simple arrangement of parts shownl in Fig. 6,'.which "consists v'of a pivoted lever 22a having a spring latch for slipping into engagement with the rack guide 23 and whose lwer'end carries a lateral stud 24: that slidably moves on the longitudinal slot 25 in a pendent arm 26 pivotally hung from the underside of the platform 27 in the lower end of which is pivoted a tripper 28 for engaging the lever 20 whose upper end extends and engages a buffer spring device 29 mounted on the arm 26, as is clearly shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the complete construction, the manner in which my invention operates, v'and `the ad vantages thereof will be readily understood.

lnpracticdthe switch throwing arm may have an extension `for cooperating with a signal lantermas'shown inFigs. 1 and 2.

,What I claiin is; Y y A, Y y 1. lnfa 'switch mechanism ofthecharacter described, the combination lwith, the switch meinbers andthe' switch'- bar,`s"aid'bar having a p'airof oppositely disposed Vpendent bearings, of an operating shaft, bearings in which 4theshaftnis looselyfmouiited, a cam `diskionthe shaft yhaving alternately disposedV cams' on itsloppo'site 'faces for' coacting with oppositely disposed pendent ,bearings on theswitfch bannmeans for en shioiiiiigv and edualizing the end 'thrusts 'on thesaid operating shaft, means Vfor;impfartin'g intermittent rotary rnov'einentfin onedirfection, said means'including'a pawl and ratchet mechanism, a bell'cranklever device operableby a car, aiid connections thatfjointhe said bell crank lever andthe pawl and ratchet devices.

2. lny a switch mechanism oflthe character described, the combination with ythe switch lmembers andthe blair, bar *having 'a pairof oppositelydi'sposed pendent bearings, of an op'eratin i shaft, bearings in which thefshaftis loose y mounted, a cam disk on the shaft having alternately Vdisposed cams on its opposite, faces for vcoact- 1ings "on theh'swit'ch baig'means for cushioningand 'eduahzing the 'end thrusts on the said operating shaft, means for imparting intermittent rotary'movement in one ydirection, said/'means includingl ay 'pawl vand iratchetinechanis'm,'a bell crank lever device operable by a passing car, connections that 'join th'ef'saidbell'crank leverand the pawl and' ratchet devices, means for automatirreturning the `pawl `and ratchet devices to the normal position;

'switchbar that connectssai'd memb'ers, the

said bar ,including a 'pair of voppositely disposed pendent bearings; of operating shaft, bearings, `which the fsaid jshaft is Ilooselyinoun'tedfadisk mounted on theshaft to turn therewith having oppositel')T disposed crank lever device operable by a passing car cam faces for co-acting with the oppositely and coperatively connected with the ratchet disposed pendent bearings on the switch bar, mechanism.

means for equalizing the end thrusts of the HUGH D. YOAKUM. 5 aforesaid operating shaft, other means for Witnesses: n

imparting intermittent rotary movement to J. W. DEAN,

the said shaft in one direction, and a bell J. KNOX GREER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

